Anti-tampering device



y 6, 1970 G. osoRlo I 3,513,801

' ANTI-TAMPERING DEVICE Filed March 15, 1968 INVENTOR. fOPfiE OSOR/O United States Patent Oflice 3,513,801 Patented May 26, 1970 3,513,801 ANTI-TAMPERING DEVICE George Osorio, 518 Peoples Ave., New Orleans, La. 70122 Filed Mar. 13, 1968, Ser. No. 717,068 Int. Cl. 601d 21/60 US. Cl. 116-114 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Anti-tampering device in which a flexible cable forms a bight around a closed part of the protected apparatus, the cable ends then being passed through a hole defined in a breakable part of an openable hollow three dimensional structure and are fastened together through said opening by means too large to pass back through said hole without breaking said breakable part, said three dimensional structure locking together after said cable end fastening to enclose said cable ends and said structure being secured to an immovable object adjacent to said protected apparatus.

The invention relates generally to the apparatus for and the method of indicating tampering with a protected apparatus, and more particularly to anti-tampering devices for fire extinguishers.

It has been found that fire extinguishers are often subject to unauthorized use and replacement after such use with no indication thereof. When a fire occurs, the extinguishers are found empty or otherwise non-operational. Heretofore it has been the practice to enclose the whole fire extinguisher, or a plurality of them, in locked cases partly made of glass that must be broken to get to the extinguishers, the broken glass thereby indicating that the extinguishers have been tampered with. Considering the size of some extinguishers this form of antitampering cases can be expensive both to construct and to maintain.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outer part of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a glass or breakable part of the invention defining a hole,

FIG. 3 is a similar view of an inner part of the invention,

FIG. 4 is a similar view but exploded of a cable and clamping ferrule,

FIG. 5 is a similar view of an implement for breaking glass or other breakable parts, and

FIG. 6 is a similar view but partially cut away and exploded of the invention in use with a fire extinguisher shown in part.

The invention comprises (see FIG. 1) a rectangular outer part of shell 10 having an open back and a front defining an opening smaller than said front. Referring to FIG. 2 a glass plate 11 defining a hole 12 is adapted to fit and close the front opening of the outer shell 10. The hole 12 ,is made large enough to receive both ends of a flexible cable 20 (FIG. 4) but not large enough to allow the ends after fastening with the clamping ferrule 19 to pass back through said hole 12 without breaking the glass plate 11. An inner part 13 (FIG. '3) having a closed back and an open front is adapted to slidable enga ge in said outer shell 10 to firmly press and hold glass plate 11 in place in the front of said outer shell. Holes 14, 15, and 16 are defined in the bottom of said inner part 13 and coincide with the holes in the bottom of the outer shell when said inner and outer shells are fully engaged. Holes 14 and 15 are threaded and hole 16 is not. Holes 17 and 18 in the closed back are for screws to fasten the inner part or shell 13 to an immovable object adjacent the protected apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 6 screw bolts 26 and 27 are shown in exploded relation to the holes in which they engage in the outer shell 10 that coincide with holes 14 and 15 of the inner part 13. A pop rivot 25 locks the inner and outer parts and the glass plate 11 together until the rivet is broken. Since the glass is more easily broken and a form of hammer 21 (FIG. 5) with a protective shield 22 is provided hanging on or near the assembled device 24 (FIG. 6) for easily and safely breaking the glass plate 11, it is probable that the clearly noticeable glass will be broken rather than the hidden rivet, thereby indicating a prior use;or tampering since inspection and servicing of the extinguisher. A cord 23 (FIG. 5) is provided for hanging the hammer 21 near the invention.

To operate the device, one end of the cable 20 is passed through a closed part of a fire extinguisher as shown in FIG. 6. The glass plate 11 is inserted into the outer shell 10. The ends of the cable are then passed side by side through the hole 12 in the glass plate from the front and the clamping ferrule 19 is slipped over said cable ends, and clamped by a pair of pliers or pincers (not shown) around the ends to bind them together in a connection that cannot be Withdrawn through the hole without breaking the glass plate 10' (see FIG. 6, cutaway portion). The inner part 13 is fastened to a wall near the protected apparatus by screws through holes 17 and 18, and the outer shell 10 with glass plate is then slipped over the inner shell 11 to enclose the fastened ends of the cable 20. The screw blots 26 and 27 are inserted in the holes adjacent each end of the bottom of the outer shell and screwed into the coinciding threaded holes 14 and 15 in the bottom of the inner part 13. The pop rivot 25 is inserted in the hole intermediate the other holes in the bottom of the outer shell and coinciding hole 16 in the bottom of said inner part. The ,pop rivet is then expanded by external pressure to lock the inner and outer parts of the three dimensional structure 24 together with the fastened ends of cable 20 within said structure. The joined ends of the cable can be released from the structure 24 by breaking the glass 12 with the hammer 21, the shield 22 protecting the breaker from flying glass, thereby indicatably releasing the fire extinguisher.

To restore the invention to indicating condition, the old clamping ferrule 19 is cut and removed from the ends of the cable 20. The old pop rivet is cut and removed from the hole 16 and the screw bolts are unscrewed from holes 14 and 15. The outer part is slidably disassembled from the inner part and the remains of old glass plate 11 removed. With a new clamping ferrule, glass plate and pop rivet the three dimensional structure is reassembled with the new parts as hereinbefore. described.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that numerous changes in the details of construction and the com bination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-tampering device for indicating tampering with a protected apparatus comprising: at least two structures that are cooperatively joinable to form a closed three dimensional hollow structure, one said structure comprising a part which is easily and noticeably breakable and defines a hole; means for securing the other of said two structures to an immovable object adjacent said protected apparatus; a flexible cable of sufficient length to form a bight around and through a closed part of said protected apparatus, and of a thickness for the ends of said cable forming said bight to pass through said hole from outside said one structure; connecting means for fastening together the ends of said cable behind the front of said one structure, said means being too large to permit the fastened ends to pass back through said hole without breaking the easily broken part; and means for locking said two structures together with said fastened cable ends enclosed in said three dimensional hollow structure.

2. An anti-tampering device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a striking means comprising a part for breaking and a part for holding, for breaking said breakable part, and a shield guard mounted intermediate said parts for breaking and holding thereby protecting a user, said striking means being mounted adjacent said three dimensional structure.

3. The method of indicating tampering with a protected apparatus comprising the steps of securing to an immovable object an openable three dimensional hollow structure adjacent said protected apparatus; passing one end of a cable through a closed part of said protected ap- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 550,136 11/1895 Richardson et a1. 292--317 1,431,515 10/1922 Dreyer 2.2 1,500,980 7/1924 Alfisi 402.2 1,952,085 3/1934 Mater 4020 2,199,348 4/1940 Rubinolf 4021 2,159,078 5/1939 Goldstein 116-124 XR 2,851,985 9/1958 Keehn 116117 XR LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4021 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Patent No. 3, 513, 801 dated May 26, 1970 George Osorio It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the address of the inventor, the numbers reading "518' should read 5818 SIGNED AND QEM FD (SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jl't E. m.

C mmissioner of Patents Atteating Officer 

